Strategy Goes
by nowthenSoreDewa
Summary: Late in Gundam Seed Destiny, Minerva's charting a new course. Don't bother informing the Chairman. The XO will catch up eventually... or, "shockingly, the first published Talia Gladys x Arthur Trine fic in existence in English"...Truth.


My beloved GSD pairing that I and about 3 other people worldwide ever devoted any attention to, despite it staring you right in the face like Arthur getting shoved. It was left so blissfully and_ thankfully _undeveloped! Frankly, I don't WANT the show's writers and producers going anywhere near it. I'm so glad they left it all for me!! ^_^

Take this, oh...

Sometime extremely shortly after the Chairman pushes Talia beyond all Natural, human, and genetically-enhanced endurance. Like, "sending Rey and Shinn to execute Athrun and Meyrin for treason". Anyone remember how pissed she was after that?

She never did get around to that discussion with the Commander-in-Chief, did she?

* * *

**"Strategy Goes By x's and o's"**

"Arthur, take your clothes off," she says, while doing so herself. "I'm going to...give you a lesson in command diplomacy."

"But, but - Captain!" Arthur sputters. "The Chairman--!!" and this fuels Talia's ire enough for her to pluck the badge of FAITH from her long white coat, raise her arm, and prepare to fling the shiny thing clear across the room away from her - except that Arthur is now grabbing her hand to restrain her.

"Ma'am, don't! You'll - you'll break something!" and the fact that he's choosing to ignore all the other breaches of military discipline that she is currently committing or suggesting they commit almost amuses Talia, so she whirls around to face him. But this has now definitely made _him _her only target, and so he yelps - ducking, scrambling, and snatching the top sheet off her bed - and holding it out in front of him.

Is he trying to remind her of the decency and modesty and dignity and _sanity _that's _supposed_ to characterize their relationship? Is he trying to pacify her by suggesting surrender? Is he just trying to _stall? _

"Don't be ridiculous, Arthur, there's nothing in here I could possibly break with this! I only _WISH_ there was something that I could--!"

But she steps toward him and accepts the white drape around her body, and then carefully places the swooping pin on the corner of her desk, and covers it with her hat. She takes a moment, to retrieve the crumpled pile of her clothing from the floor - folding her pants, her t-shirt, and the long coat, and piling them neatly on the chair; straightening the boots she'd kicked off before straightening herself, with a hand through her hair - returning her attention to the hapless man she's trapped into sitting on her bed, and saying deliberately, slowly, and quite clearly -

"Arthur, **FUCK **the Chairman."

But then she pauses, reconsiders, and corrects herself with a harsh laugh. "No -no, actually, our Chairman Dullindal can just go fuck himself. He's quite capable of accomplishing _anything_ ALL by himself!"

"_Captain...!" _ Arthur protests - and in doing so, unbuckles his own black coat, and puts that over her too. But if he's still trying to stall her, he's only succeeding in making the clothing balance between them more equitable - so Talia pushes him back down on the bed with a hand on his shoulder, and takes his black hat, too, and puts it on her own head.

It's too big, of course, so she tilts it back to see better as she perches next to him and plays with that one lock of his hair that she's always found endearing. He tries not to cringe, but his eyes are squeezed shut and his face is searing red and burning hot with his embarrassment, and Talia feels her conscience trying to annoy her by reminding her that it exists.

"You'll forgive your superior officer's temporary bout of insanity, I hope, Arthur," she tells him. "Technically, in these circumstances, that should put _you_ in charge here, I suppose."

He cracks an eye open to regard her voice, then another one - then shuts them both again and sighs, a little.

"With all due respect, ma'am, I'm sure that you still know exactly what you're doing....And all subordinates - even members of FAITH, if I'm not mistaken - are allowed to protest any unjustifiable orders they're given. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, Arthur, yes, you're exactly right - as long as one considers and assumes that their boss isn't going to be a _**jackass**_ who thinks that he has the solution to everything and is getting a little too high off of justifying his means!" She takes a deep breath. "And what would you suggest is to be done when the person in charge _won't_ _listen_ to you, Arthur?"

"Well...well, _**you**_ always _have _listened to me, Captain, ma'am." He looks at her and actually seems like he's trying to smile. "Truly, I'm not trying to protest, really! I'm - I'm just - I'd appreciate knowing the..._reasoning_...behind this decision...."

"Arthur, _what _reasoning--I'm trying to _use _you. Don't you mind--at all?"

"Uhh, well...I'm not sure if I'm supposed to...But I guess- I guess, I'm flattered, I guess...After all, I mean, I _am_ on the ship at your disposal! Ha, ha, ha, heh, heh-heh..."

But he's once again inappropriately trying to find humor in a situation where Talia's not seeing any, and she pulls on his hand to get him to stop.

"Being used solely for someone else's selfish convenience isn't something you're supposed to condone, Arthur!!" She frowns at him sharply.

"Well, ma'am, with all due respect, if I was going to get myself out of this situation, I think I probably should've done something about ten minutes ago! And, well...I'm still here, aren't I."

"Yes, Arthur, yes you are, and I suppose there's _somebody _in ZAFT I should thank for giving me such a _supportive _idiot as my XO!!" And Talia is somewhat startled and then horrified by the realization that she is crying, but Arthur's hand is awkwardly fiddling at the breast pocket of his coat, pulling out a handkerchief and offering it, and she grabs at it and swipes her face, before she realizes that he is also somewhat stiffly trying to pat her on the back.

"With all due respect, ma'am...I think laughing about this was actually a better idea...."

"Oh, Arthur, shut _up!" _-- and she pulls him towards her, and with one of his '_ack!_' noises, she's hugging him; actually laughing a little, too - and crying a little, still - and then she feels one of his big hands on the side of her neck and looks up at those kind and confused brown eyes, and decides that she should probably kiss him for being such a steadfast, loyal, fool; and so, she does.

... Except that she was aiming for his cheek but, of course, he turned his head and she hit his mouth _- well, never venture more than you're willing to wager, Talia - _and then she finds that she can't remember the first time she kissed Gil, though there's not a chance in hell the circumstances could have been _this_ incredibly awkward and emotional, but...she tries to be equally gentle and tentative, suppressing her typical pride and ferocity, just for the moment, and finds that it's really not such a bad thing, in fact - his hands framing and warming her face, a feeling of discovering him and letting her guard down, and against all odds, a sense of peace and calm stealing over her - it's - not bad at all.


End file.
